Escape
by sibb
Summary: Bella can't take life in Forks anymore. Everything reminds her of him. So she does the only thing she can. She runs with Jacob hot on her tail.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my bad grades and the plot.

R&R

* * *

"This is reckless Bella." Charlie paced up and down his living room.

"I..I know I just need some time to get my head straight." I put my palms to my temple and sat down. It was all to much.

"You go missing for three days, you're out riding motorbikes and now you spring this-"

"It's better than what I was like before.." Charlie looked calculatingly at me. He couldn't deny it. Anything was better than the depression, the black hole I sunk into when Edward left. If keeping my sanity meant leaving Forks for a while then so be it. The only real loss was Charlie since my Jacob would probably never speak to me again after leaving with Alice and I had made my intentions to cut ties with Edward clear as soon as I rescued him from the Voltori, which was a major factor in my decision to leave. Everything reminded me of him. My room, the forest, Forks high school, everything somehow tied in with him. I had to get away.

"How are you going to afford it anyway?" Charlie was at his wits end.

"I have some money in my college fund" He looked as if he were about to choke on something rather unpleasant "I can use that until I get a job."

"Bella you-"

"I'm eighteen Charlie, I'm legally an adult. I'll be fine, and I promise I'll call you all the time." Charlie took two large steps towards me and enveloped me in a big bear hug.

"My girl's all grown up," Charlie pulled away holding onto to my shoulders. He wasn't ready to let go just yet "Be careful Bells." Charlie kissed me on the cheek and helped me carry my bags to my truck.

I cried most of the way to Port Angeles. Then as I sat in the back of a dingy cafe, and then as I drove the rest of the distance to Seattle. It was a strange mixture of happy and sad. But it was a new start, which I desperately needed. Away from the worlds of vampires and their creepy government. The Volturi would come to check that I had been changed. It could be one year, could be thirty but if they found out I wasn't I was as good as dead. I shook my head as if to clear the thought from my mind and pulled into the parking lot of a run down old motel.

"Room 63" The stout lady behind the desk handed me the keys "enjoy your stay." She continued half asleep.

The lock clicked and the door hesitantly creaked open. I dumped my back down at the door and sat on the foot of the single bed. There was a small T.V opposite that would had to keep me occupied since I could no longer face reading Wuthering Heights. It reminded me to much of Edward. I settled on going straight to sleep. First thing in the morning and I could be out of this retched place. And explore Seattle.

JPV

I sat unspeaking on the edge of the small sofa in Billy's living room.

"Ahh come in Charlie." Dad wheeled over to the front door and flicked the lock. Charlie grinned and the two bound on with their childish games. Spinning around Billy's wheelchair for the most part as they threw the football to each other over my head. A nomad hadn't been spotted in months so Sam insisted I stay home to 'chill' as he so casually put it. I found a few day old note from Bella stuffed down the back of the couch in a fit of rage. Prying it out I smoothed out the wrinkles.

_Jacob,_

_I really need to talk with you. Missing you heaps,_

_Bella xoxo_

Passed from Bella to Charlie to Billy to me. Just like in second grade. I crumpled it up again and threw it across a grimace forming on my face.

"Teenagers, so moody." Billy rolled his wheelchair back in from the hall with Charlie on his tail just as a paper-snowball flew past.

"Mmm, how's Bella?" Billy reversed his wheelchair into a spot near the kitchen and Charlie pulled out a seat.

"She's doing better. She's decided to travel a bit. Start off in Port Angeles and work her way around the place," I turned to face Charlie who was smiling but his eyes gave his sadness away "my girls all grown up."

"There, there." Dad wheeled around to the other side of the island not losing the chance to shed me a warning glance before going to pat an unusually emotional Charlie gruffly on the back "How long's she gone for?"

"She doesn't really know yet, just that she's going to travel and then she's moving to D.C to 'start fresh.'" Moving! What, no surely she wasn't that careless. Not with Victoria still running around. Not with me still here in La Push.... Charlie's mobile went off.

"That'll be her now" Charlie sniffed and flipped open his newly acquired phone "Hey, Bells." he answered stepping outside with Dad. No! Bella couldn't have moved. That would mean...that would mean I wouldn't see her again. Ever again. I loved her, I couldn't just let her run off to, where ever she was. How long had she even been gone. I hadn't answered any of her notes, stupid, stupid stupid. When was the last one I got. I fished down the back of the couch pulling out a more recent letter. Three days ago tops.

"Dad" I yelled to him. He was outside but her heard and I ran over to him. "Where is Bella at the moment?"

"She should be in Seattle about now." Seattle, well that sure narrowed things down. Because she couldn't be anywhere in all of Seattle being attacked by deranged vampires as we speak. That would just be silly.

"What hotel?" Dad was suspicious at my sudden interest.

"Hotel, ha!" Charlie laughed "She's staying at the Murrey Motel." The two old men exchanged glances and strolled off.

"Creepy old place, that motel." One of them whispered.

I ran inside to scrawl a note apologising to Dad and Sam who would be furious anyhow. I phased and ran. Ran as fast as I could. With any luck I could make it to seattle by morning.


	2. Chapter 2

BPV

I woke up to a crashing on the door. I glanced over at the old clock beside my bed. 3:00am. Victoria? No, Victoria wouldn't knock. Volturi? Unlikely they'd come this early after returning from Voltera but still possible.

"Bella?" The stranger, a man called my name.

I walked up to the door and looked through the peep hole. Jacob? What the hell was he doing here at three in the morning no less? He wouldn't even pick up the phone before. Why should I even let him in.

"Bella, it's Jacob...I know you're in there." Jacob went to pound on the door again but I opened it before he could put his fist through the wood. I wanted to keep the motel room in one piece.

"What?" I spat at him. Jacob stepped forward and pulled me into a huge bear hug. I stayed still until he let me go and continued glaring at him.

"Why didn't you tell me you were moving Bells?" Was he serious? After all this he had the nerve to rock up here and demand answers.

"You wouldn't answer my notes and you wouldn't pick up the phone. It's been great catching up again but I'm going to go to bed." I went to slam the door but Jacob held it open and walked inside. How dare he!

"Jacob get out!" He went to speak but I interrupted him "Out!" Jacob stood his ground but I glared at him and he sighed, walking out the door. I slammed it shut behind him and crawled back into bed but couldn't sleep. For one thing the bed was like sleeping on concrete, but it was mainly because of Jacob. He turned up in the middle of the night and marched in here like he owned the place. So why did I feel guilty. I tried to sleep but no luck. I heard a noise. Snoring? I got up and looked through the peephole.

"Dammit" I mutter to myself. Jacob was asleep up against the brickwork. I opened the front door and Jacob awoke with a start.

"Get in!" I snapped. The opposite of what I had said before but with just as much rage behind my voice. Jacob looked around remembering where he was struggled to find his footing. I looked down at myself and blushed. Heading over to the pile of bags in the corner for a jacket. I was only wearing a satin nightdress.

"You can't leave Forks Bella." I sniggered at Jacobs surely tone and pulled my jacket on.

I crossed the room and lay down on top of the bed covers, tucking my hands behind my neck. Jacob looked down and I zipped up my jacket indignantly.

"I'm eighteen Jacob. I can do what I want" I prop up my pillow and sit against the brick wall "Even Charlie accepts that." Jacob who had started pacing the room sometime when I was looking for a jacket stood still.

"That doesn't mean a thing" Jacob tried to look into my eyes but I wouldn't let him "Charlie doesn't know you have a crazed leach after you trying to avenge her mates death."

"I'll go crazy if I have to stay in Forks." I tried to add some sincerity to my words and climbed under the covers to close my eyes hoping that it would be the end of our conversation. No such luck.

"You don't have to be around Charlie,if it's freedom you want you could hang around at La Push more." Jacob sounded hopeful of this but it didn't make sense seeing as he'd ignored me for the past two months. Still that time alone allowed me to grow. I was more independent.

"It's not Charlie I'm trying to get away from" My eyes flit open "It's Edward, vampires" Jacob goes to speak but I continue "And anything to do with them." Jake looked hurt for a brief second and changed direction, pacing the other side of the room.

"It's to dangerous Bella." Because danger has been a big deterrent for me this past year. It totally put me of the motorbike and stange men in Port Angeles.

"I'm in danger no matter where I am, so I may as well go somewhere I'm happier." I was seriously tired. I wished Jacob would just drop it and let me sleep.

"We can protect you from Victoria If you just come back Bella." Dammit, I really didn't want to explain this to him right now because I'd never get to sleep.

"Yes but it doesn't matter where I am, the Volturi are going to try and kill me as long as I'm still human." Jacob stopped in his tracks and confusion washed onto his face. Apparently he wasn't quite aware of the details of out little run in with the Volturi.

"The Volturi?" Jacob sat down as yet another threat to my life dawned on him.

"Like, vampire royalty" I used the words Edward had used to explain it to him "I'm a human who knows far to much, and unless I'm willing to change...." Jacob blinked as the implications of my little problem hit him.

"So it's become one of them or die?" I nodded and Jacob stood up. Pounding his fist against a brick wall.

"Bear in mind that the Volturi's idea of soon is a lot longer than ours, don't worry" I tried to calm him down but Jacob who was still leaning up against the wall looked over at me gobsmacked "They'll come for me in five or ten years and that'll be that." A mixture of pain, fear and anger formed in Jacobs eyes. I reiterated "I don't want to live forever Jacob. It would break me" Jacob slid down the wall and covered his face with his hands.

"Why do you have to love him Bella. If you hadn't gone to Italy..." I cut him off.

"If you'd answered your phone or written back you would've known." I contemplated not explaining further just to irk him but that would defeat the point, so I continued "Edward could've been my worst enemy and I still would've gone to Italy. A life's a life." Jacob looked down at his shoes as he contemplated this. By the sound of it he hadn't contacted me because he thought I still loved Edward. Fat chance. "As for the way it turned out for me, what can I say but no good dead goes unpunished." Figuring the morbid conversation had come to an end I pulled the covers up.

"I love you, how could I not worry." I thought I heard him say but it must've just been a dream.


	3. Chapter 3

I was awoken by a scarce ray of light streaming through the window . Even in Seattle, it wasn't quite as cold and dark as Forks, and that was exactly what I needed. I lay awake in bed for a while. Did me resigning to my fate as a snack for the Vulturi make me suicidal. I sighed and got up, walking over to my belongings piled haphazardly in the corner. I stumbled around Jacob who was asleep on the floor and grabbed some jeans, and a yellow blouse. I pulled my jeans on under my nightdress and flung a sheet over Jacobs head in case he woke up to me getting changed. I pulled on my top and walked over to brush my hair in the mirror. I could hear Jacob starting to stir.

"What's with the sheet?" Jacob sat up, his hair tousled all over his face.

"I was getting changed." Jacob stood up still fully clothed from the previous night and sat on my bed rubbing his eyes.

"So you thought you'd smother me?" I giggled at the disgruntled look on Jacobs face as his eyes scanned the room.

"No, so you wouldn't see anything if you woke up." I threw Jake the brush. "You look like a cactus." I smiled and started packing necessities into my handbag as Jake ran the brush through his cropped short hair. Money, I.D, lip gloss. I raised an eyebrow. When did I become such a girl. I flung my handbag over my shoulder and picked up the two backpacks I'd brought with me. The rest of my belongings had to stay in my truck until I got a place in D.C. I walked to the door and motioned for a half-asleep Jacob to step outside. The door swung closed and I twisted the key in the lock until I heard a loud click.

"Without the sarcasm of last night, it really was nice to see you again Jake" I wrapped my arms around Jacob but he didn't seem to fully grasp what I was doing "Say hi to Billy for me." I started towards my truck but Jacob caught my hand and pulled me back.

"What do you think you're doing?" Jacob asked as if I was some silly child. I wasn't a child. Heck, Jacob was younger than I was, and by almost two years at that.

"Backpacking, remember?" Jacob held onto my hand as if I might try and run. I would if I didn't think he'd catch up to me.

"You can't be serious, it's too dangerous!" Jakes eyes were pained as he looked down at me trying in vain to shake his grasp.

"I'm in danger no matter where I am Jake. I wanna have some fun while I can." Jacob sighed and I pulled him into another hug before walking off to my truck. A single tear streamed down my face as I opened the door and stepped in the drivers seat. I put the keys in the ignition, comforted by the familiar roar of my truck. The cab lurched and I jumped as the passenger side door swung open and Jacob hopped in beside me.

"Change of plans, I'm coming with you."

"What?" I shrieked. "Dammit Jacob!"

"If you insist on making yourself a beacon for danger then you need someone to protect you." Jacob pulled across his seatbelt and I heard the buckle click. Jacob smiled as if it made it final.

"What! I'm not a bea...I don't need someone to protect me! Why does everyone think I'm some fine china that needs to be locked up in a glass case and protected."

"Okay, 'Miss new found independence, lets just drive." I groaned and sunk down in my seat. Jacobs heart was in the right place but he couldn't be serious.

"Jake, you need to go home. You've got the pack, and school..."

"The pack is too big to function as it is, and it looks like more of the younger kids are going to phase soon so I'd be doing them a favour, and you don't need school to become a mechanic." Jacob looked almost pleading.

"What about Billy, who's going to look after him?" Jacob rolled his eyes.

"The only reason Sue Clearwater hasn't moved in is because she doesn't want to weird me out."

"Jake, you're just a kid-" Jacob cut me off, he was angry now.

"So you're Miss independent now but I'm just a kid?" Jacob had a point and he knew it "Has it even crossed your mind that I might be running away from something too!"

"No, no, you're right. By the laws eyes only are you just a kid." My eyes scanned across his biceps. Jacob caught me and smiled, pleased with himself. He sure didn't look like a kid.

"So I can come?" Jacob had that pleading puppy dog look in his eyes again.

"Jacob, it doesn't matter how mature you are. I'm going to be going out, having fun, it wouldn't be any fun for you anyway being left behind."

"I don't care I just need to get away from Sam and the pack." Jacobs face hardened as he prepared to be turned down again.

"Fine, but you'll get bored in a week and head back. Don't say I didn't warn you." Jacob was prepared with a retort but his face lit up when he didn't need it.

"Sweet! Lets drive Miss independent."

The phone rang and I pulled onto the side of the road. I may not be as straight and narrow path minded as I used to be, but I was still the police chiefs daughter.

"Hi Charlie."  
"Bella, how are you...is Jacob okay?"

"Yea he's fine."

"It's just Billy saw the note and..."

"Yea, he wants to come with me."

"What about his schooling?"

"I know but he's becoming a mechanic anyway so he thinks it's a bit of a waste. Don't worry anyhow, he'll probably start missing home soon enough."

"Yea, I guess you're right you're right Bells. Be careful okay."

"You to Dad, say hi to Billy for me."

I snapped the phone shut and turned to look at Jake.

"I'm not going to get homesick and wimp out Bella." His face was harder than before.

"Ok Mr I'm only sixteen but I look and act 25." I repeated Jakes words back to him and he grinned.

"Okay, okay. So where to?" I though about it for a minute.

"To a motel with twin set rooms now you're a permanent fixture in this little adventure." Jacob grinned and I could swear I saw some emotion flash across his eyes but dismissed it.


End file.
